HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved 05-09-2024 City Arts Commission Meeting MinutesCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES
Newport Beach Public Library
1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Thursday, May 9, 2024 – Regular Meeting
City Arts Commission Members:
Maureen Flanagan, Chair
Leonard Simon, Vice Chair
Barbara George, Secretary
John Blom, Commissioner
Melissa Kandel, Commissioner
Wayan Kaufman, Commissioner
Marie Little, Commissioner
Staff Members:
Rebecca Lightfoot, Library Services Manager
Camille Escareal-Garcia, Cultural Arts Assistant
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chair Maureen Flanagan called the City Arts Commission Regular Monthly Meeting to order at 5:01 P.M. II. ROLL CALL Commissioners Present: Chair Maureen Flanagan Vice Chair Leonard Simon Commissioner Marie Little Secretary Barbara George
Commissioner Wayan Kaufman Commissioners Absent: Commissioner John Blom (excused
absence) Commissioner Melissa Kandel (excused absence)
Staff Present: Rebecca Lightfoot, Library Services Manager Camille Escareal-Garcia, Cultural Arts Assistant III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Flanagan led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. PRESENTATION OF THE Fiscal Year 2023-24 Cultural Arts Grants 1. The City Arts Commission presented the Fiscal (FY) 2023-24 Cultural Arts
City Arts Commission Meeting May 9, 2024
Page 2 Grants awards to the following recipients:
• Backhausdance ($4,000) Received by Nancy Warzer-Brady
• Balboa Island Improvement Association ($3,000) Received by Dan Abbot and Penny Rodheim
• Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar ($4,500) Received by Vina Spiehler
• South Coast Repertory ($5,000) Received by Katherine Miranda
Awards not in attendance of the Ceremony • Pacific Chorale ($4,500) • Pacific Symphony ($3,500)
• The City Arts Commission took a photograph with the recipients. V. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC – Waived VI. PUBLIC COMMENTS
None VII. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of Minutes of the April 11, 2024, City Arts Commission Meeting 2. Draft of 4/11/24 Minutes Chair Flanagan requested edits, changes, or deletions of the minutes and hearing none, opened the item for public comments. There were none. Motion made by Vice Chair Leonard Simon, seconded by Secretary Barbara George, and carried 5-0-0-2 (with Commissioners Blom and Kandel absent) to approve the minutes of 4/11/24 as written. B. Consent Calendar Items 3. Financial Report Review of financial information.
Library Services Manager Rebecca Lightfoot reported more movement is expected once the Art Exhibition is underway. One of the awarded cultural arts grants had not yet been processed when the packet was created, it went through a couple days ago and will be
reflected in the June meeting financial report. Chair Flanagan opened the item for public comment and there were none.
City Arts Commission Meeting May 9, 2024
Page 3 Vice Chair Simon noted there were no entries for the Sculpture Exhibition on the financials. Library Services Manager Lightfoot thanked Vice Chair Simon for pointing it out and stated
it would be corrected for the June meeting. Chair Flanagan requested it be updated and emailed to the Commissioners. 4. Cultural Arts Activities Monthly review of cultural arts activities from the Library Administrative Office for upcoming Library and City arts events and services. Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported Laura Green’s paintings are on display in the Library Gallery on the first floor for the remainder of May. Early in June Dorothy Grettenberg Handy’s needlepoint display will replace the current installation. The Student Art Exhibition will remain on display through May 17. The next City Arts Commission
Monthly Meeting will take place on June 13. The call for entries for the Newport Beach Art Exhibition will end on May 10, which will be a combined event with the Sculptural Exhibition in Civic Center Phase IX on June 29. Library Services Manager Lightfoot also mentioned
that the Summer Concerts on the Civic Green series begins in July. Chair Flanagan opened the floor to public comments, there were none.
Motion made by Secretary Barbara George, seconded by Vice Chair Leonard Simon, and carried 5-0-0-2 (with Commissioners Blom and Kandel absent) to accept the Consent Calendar. VIII. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review and Possible Action 5. Early De-installation of Craig Gray’s A Novel Idea and Marguerite Elliot’s Where Have All the Birds Gone? Staff recommends that the City Arts Commission approve the early removal of Craig Gray’s sculpture, A Novel Idea, and Marguerite Elliot’s sculpture, Where Have All the Birds Gone? from Civic Center Park
Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported Art Orange County (ArtsOC) is requesting the early removal of A Novel Idea and Where Have All the Birds Gone? Where Have All
the Birds Gone? will be relocated per the artist’s request for early deinstallation. A Novel
Idea will be relocated per the Commission’s approval in a later Agenda item. Deinstallation will only be ten days early, staff felt that was not an unreasonable request.
Chair Flanagan opened the item for Public Comment but there were none. Motion made by Vice Chair Leonard Simon, seconded by Secretary Barbara George, and carried 5-0-0-2 (with Commissioners Blom and Kandel absent) to approve the early removal of Craig Gray’s sculpture, A Novel Idea, and Marguerite Elliot’s sculpture, Where
Have All the Birds Gone? from Civic Center Park. 6. Site Placement of Craig Gray’s A Novel Idea The Art in Public Places Ad Hoc Subcommittee recommends that the City Arts Commission review and approve their recommendation for the
site placement of Craig Gray’s A Novel Idea.
City Arts Commission Meeting May 9, 2024
Page 4 Library Services Manager Rebecca Lightfoot reported that the Arts in Public Places Ad
Hoc Subcommittee recommended that the donated artwork A Novel Idea be located at the new Balboa branch library. The piece will be stored in the Public Works department until the construction is completed. Chair Flanagan opened the item to Public Comment. Nancy Gardner, Newport Beach resident, thanked everyone and expressed enthusiasm for the piece being permanently placed at the new Balboa branch library. Motion made by Vice Chair Leonard Simon, seconded by Commissioner Wayan Kaufman, and carried 5-0-0-2 (with Commissioners Blom and Kandel absent) to approve the Ad Hoc Subcommittee’s recommendation for the placement of A Novel Idea at the
new Balboa Branch library upon completion of the rebuild. 7. Acquisition of Art to the City of Newport Beach
The Art in Public Places Ad Hoc Subcommittee recommends that the City Arts Commission review and approve their recommendation to not accept an application for the purchase of art for The Archeology of the Everyday
by Tyler Burton. Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported the Ad Hoc Subcommittee met and recommended that the City not accept the application for the purchase of The Archeology
of the Everyday due to lack of funding. The asking price was $20,000 for the sculpture. Chair Flanagan opened the item to Public Comment, seeing none she called for a motion. Motion made by Secretary Barbara George, seconded by Commissioner Marie Little, and carried 5-0-0-2 (with Commissioners Blom and Kandel absent) to approve not accepting an application for the purchase of art for The Archeology of the Everyday by Tyler Burton.
8. Approval of 2024 Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition Winner The Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee
recommends that the City Arts Commission approve their recommendation for the 2nd place winner of the 2024 Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition for the 4th grade through 7th grade category.
Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported that staff and the Ad Hoc Subcommittee recommended the CAC approve the 2nd place winner of the 2024 Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition for the 4th - 7th grade category. At the last meeting two second place winners were inadvertently chosen from the pre-K - 3rd grade category, which resulted in a tie. No award for the second-place winner from the 4th -7th grade category was chosen. There will be an additional $50 dollar gift card purchased as an award. Staff and the Ad Hoc Subcommittee recommend the second-place winner be Quinn Kelley for the painting Winter Bird. Chair Flanagan opened the item for public comment.
Motion made by Commissioner Marie Little, seconded by Vice Chair Leonard Simon, and
City Arts Commission Meeting May 9, 2024
Page 5 carried 5-0-0-2 (with Commissioners Blom and Kandel absent) to approve Quinn Kelley as the 2nd place winner of the 2024 Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition for the 4th
grade through 7th grade category for the painting Winter Bird. 9. Sculpture Exhibition Photography Contest Ad Hoc Subcommittee Library Services Manager Lightfoot reported that the purpose of the subcommittee will be to review and edit the previous entry guidelines and recommend winning entries after the contest deadline closes. Chair Flanagan appointed herself and Secretary George to the Sculpture Exhibition Photography Contest Ad Hoc Subcommittee. A third Commissioner will be chosen at a future date.
B. Monthly Reports 10. Newport Beach Art Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee Chair Flanagan, Vice Chair Simon, Commissioner Little
Chair Flanagan reported that the Commissioners have been reaching out to artists via phone calls and emails. Commissioner Little inquired how many entries had been received to date. Cultural Arts Assistant Camille Escareal-Garcia responded that 111 pieces had been accepted from 64 artists, with about 83 pending pieces that still needed to be approved from 49 artists, bringing the total to 194 pieces from 113 artists. The call for entries will end on Friday, which leaves time for more entries. Vice Chair Simon inquired how many pieces were approved in 2023. There were
approximately 260 pieces from 148 artists in 2023. Vice Chair Simon added that the quality of work being submitted is spectacular, it will be an interesting exhibit. Some of the submissions are within the range of acceptable size, however still quite large.
Commissioner Little added that there are many new artists this year. Chair Flanagan opened the item for Public Comment, seeing none she filed and received
the report. 11. Newport Beach Arts Foundation Liaison Chair Flanagan reported she attended the last couple of meetings; however, they have been cancelled due to a lack of having a quorum. There was a meeting last night, however she had not received the notification in time. They have been focused on their fall event: Art in the Park. Chair Flanagan opened the item to Public Comment, seeing none she filed and received the report.
IX. CITY ARTS COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM)
City Arts Commission Meeting May 9, 2024
Page 6 Chair Flanagan requested the young woman from UCI who came up with the Poet Laureate
program be placed on the June Agenda to present her idea. Commissioner Little requested the Art in Public Places Ad Hoc Subcommittee be added to the June Agenda for an application of the donation from the Newport Beach Sister City Association. X. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Laura Curran, Newport Beach resident, thanked the Commission for supporting the Civic Center Park Docent tour and reported that Sherman Gardens trained twenty Docents last fall and did their first public tour on March 11. Seventeen guests attended. On May 4 Orange County Garden Tour provided the California Native Plant Garden tour of which 500 people attended. The Civic Center was one of the locations. Last year the tour was free, next year attendance will cost $40 dollars. The goal is to work towards having a monthly tour. They
have plans to work with the City’s IT specialists to add to the City’s GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mobile app the location of parks in Newport Beach that are home to native plants.
Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, provided an update about the General Plan which includes elements for Arts and Culture and Historical Resources, which falls under the CAC
purview. Mr. Mosher suggested the CAC reach out to Nancy Gardner, who runs the Steering Committee for the General Plan. The reports are posted on the City’s website and the link can be found on the General Plan Update website page. There is a Steering Committee meeting upcoming on May 15, and the review of the Arts and Culture and Historical Resources elements on that Agenda. Chair Flanagan inquired if videos are available for the General Plan meetings. Mr. Mosher responded that the City has a YouTube channel that posts the meetings. The meetings can be joined live via zoom. XI. ADJOURNMENT – 5:34 P.M.
The next meeting for the City Art Commission is scheduled for Thursday June 13, 2024, in the City Council Chambers.
Approved by: Maureen Flanagan